There's Something Strange in Strangetown
by TheSnicketSister
Summary: Conspiracy, mad scientists, serial killers, aliens, this is the story of Strangetown and everyone in it, eventually weaving together all the separate plots into one.
1. Aliens Live Among Us

**Author's note** : This is the first chapter of hopefully many in a series about the Sims 2 PC town, Strangetown. This is one of my first ever fanfiction attempts, but I worked hard on it and hope you like it, reviews are appreciated to help make it better. This story will hopefully include all premade Strangetown Sims eventually.

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Chapter 1-

"Aliens live among us! Aliens live among us!" The ragged young man's voice rang out in the desert streets, his cargo shorts torn and clashing with his ugly green cowboy shirt. He probably found them in the trash, but most likely took whatever he could get. Not a single townie gave him so much as a second glance as he cried out his conspiracies. A few shook their heads in pity. He even had one of those shabby-sounding hobo monikers that he probably gave himself after some kind of aspiration failure. How else would he get a name like Goopy Gilscarbo?

"Aliens live among us!" He bellowed out again, a tumbleweed slowly rolling by in front of him. The silence was deafening. A crow cawed in the distance, mocking him.

The sole sim in earshot, Ripp Grunt, shot him a glance on his way home from the gas station where he worked, "No sh*t, Sherlock." He said before kicking over Goopy's misspelled sign and continuing on his path with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"You'll be sorry!" Goopy yelled out after him, "Really sorry!" But Ripp was already done listening, taking a detour and zigzagging over to the Smith's place instead.

He rang the doorbell of the large yellow house in front of him and tapped his foot as he waited for someone to answer. It was late, but he didn't think Johnny would mind. Soon, he was greeted by the warm and familiar smile of Jenny Smith who opened the door and welcomed him with open arms, more than he'd ever get at his own house.

"Hey, is Johnny home?" He asked, peering behind her. The smell of Baked Alaska was wafting out of the kitchen, "Who's the chef?" He grinned and licked his lips. His father, General Buzz never baked a thing in his life, except maybe that one time where he burnt an instant meal.

"Yes, Johnny's upstairs, playing with Jill," She said, "and I wish I could say I'm the chef in the family, but it's all P.T. today. If you're good, maybe he'll let you try a piece," She winked at him and let him in. P.T. waved from the kitchen, leaning over the stove with oven mitts matching his red Hawaiian shirt. After all these years in Strangetown, he still dressed like a tourist, and in a way, he kind of was, but to most, he was a Strangetown sim more than anyone else in town.

Ripp took the steps two at a time and found himself standing outside Jill's pink, floral room where Johnny and her were sitting at a dollhouse playing with Johnny's action figures. Johnny looked up and dropped the doll next to Jill, pushing himself off the ground and brushing off his knees, "Oh, you're here." He said, embarrassed. His cheeks flushed red, but you could barely tell over the green skin-tone.

"Wish I got a snapshot of that," Ripp did the camera gesture, "Would've been great if I needed to blackmail you some day for a favour."

"Dude, you don't have to blackmail your best friend."

"Hmm, I don't know," Ripp teased, "When you start that alien uprising and all, I'm going to need some kind of leverage to keep me and Buck safe."

"If I ever started an alien uprising, you'd need a lot more than a picture of me playing with dolls to save you."

"If?" Ripp raised an eyebrow, "So it is a possibility?" They walked out into the hall, "Man, time to stock up on those dorky school photos."

Johnny punched him playfully in the arm, "You're terrible, you know that?"

"Would you have me any other way?" He spread his arms out in a 'what are you going to do' gesture.

"A polite, quiet friend would be nice."

"And boring."

"I could live with that."

Ripp feigned offence before they both started laughing and made their way to Johnny's room where Ripp took a seat on the floor and Johnny took one on the bed.

"Hey!" Ripp piped up when they got there, "I almost forgot. You'll never believe what some crack-pot was yelling outside. I mean, these conspiracy theorists have just lost all their creativity that they've just started spouting out basic facts like 'Stoves are hot! There's sand in the desert! Avocados are half off!' Like seriously." He shook his head.

"What'd they say this time?"

"Ok, just wait for it, this is going to blow your mind," Ripp leaned in, "Ok, you ready?"

"I'm ready."

"He said," Ripp paused for dramatic effect, " 'aliens live among us'." He made a grand gesture.

Johnny feigned surprise, putting a green hand to his mouth, "Aliens?" He said in mock disbelief, "In Strangetown?" He asked, "How _wild_ is that?"

"I know, right?" Ripp said.

Johnny shook his head, his blond hair rustling. It was the only feature that showed he and Jenny or Jill were related. "I just can't believe it, are you sure you heard him right?" He asked.

"Clear as day."

"Aliens?" Johnny said again, over-emphasizing the word, "Where would he get an idea like tha-" He paused and looked at his arm in disbelief, "Oh my God! It's true!" His hands shot to his face where he pressed them against his high-cheekbones. "Ripp, you have to get out of here before my mothership abducts you!" He leapt up, "Oh no," He cried, trying to contain his laughter, "My alien instincts are kicking in, I feel... the need to probe!" He reached toward him.

Ripp completely lost it at that. He jumped up off the ground and backed up into the doorway, holding out his hands and laughing, "Man, that sounded wrong on so many levels." He said.

"How many?"

"Like at least five."

"Yes!" Johnny pumped a fist in the air, "New record!"

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Meanwhile, Goopy stood outside packing up his sign and few meager belongings, the desert night turning cold around him. "They're going to be sorry." He muttered to himself, "Very sorr-" He was cut off by a cloth being wrapped across his mouth, gagging him and shooting a bitter-sweet scent through his nostrils.

A woman's voice behind him whispered tenderly, almost cooing, "You have more important things than aliens to worry about, my dear." He stopped struggling and passed out, seeing nothing but the blur of the desert skies as he tumbled to the cold, hard ground.


	2. The New Grave

Author's note: This chapter is a lot of dialogue, not a lot of plot, I realize it took forever for me to post this chapter, the next will have a lot more plot than this one, I promise. Warnings: Innuendo.

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Chapter 2-

There was a new grave in Olive's cemetery today. Ophelia was beginning to think there was a new one everyday.

The death's were never in the papers. They just kind of... happened. No paperwork, no service, no mourning, nothing but an unmarked tombstone.

She tried to ask her aunt who it was, but she just waved her hand for her to go away and Ophelia wasn't about to start making Olive angry. Perhaps in fear of becoming the next plot in her graveyard.

She knew it was a silly notion, her 60+ year old aunt, a _serial killer_? She almost laughed to herself at the thought, but still, she couldn't deny there was something off about her.

Just the previous night, she had overheard Olive talking on the phone to someone and it certainly didn't _erase_ any suspicions she had initially.

"The job's done," Olive had been holding the phone close to her mouth, trying and failing to make sure Ophelia couldn't hear her in the next room, "And I _expect_ payment no later than tonight." She growled into the speaker.

Ophelia had been huddling over her homework in the dining room in an attempt to seem busy as she listened in.

"Make this one last longer then." Olive seethed before turning to check on her, satisfied as she saw Ophelia quickly pretending to write something down.

"I can't wait that long, dearie," Her voice lowered to a calm whisper with an edge of impatience, "The date's in two days."

There was a pause as the person on the other end of the line responded. "No," She said, trying to keep calm, "I didn't forget who makes the rules, but I think you forgot who does the dirty work."

After another minute or so, Olive slammed down the receiver before turning to glower in Ophelia's direction and finally storming off to her room.

Ophelia hadn't heard any more from her aunt that night, though she assumed sometime in the early morning, she must have been awake, digging in the back yard for her new resident.

All of a sudden, there was a sharp knocking on her door and Ophelia wondered whether or not she should answer it. It could be for Olive and Olive hated when Ophelia ran into people she was working with. On the other hand, it could have been for her and Ophelia shuddered to think how Olive would handle her friends visiting.

She made up her mind and slinked over to the foyer, ready to greet whoever was waiting for her. Olive didn't seem to hear the knock anyway. Peering through the keyhole, she breathed a relieved sigh as she saw Johnny smiling up at her and Ripp making goofy faces behind him like the joker he was.

She unlatched the door, but slipped outside with them instead of inviting them in. She wanted to get out of the house, not force other people to stay in there with her.

"You two are out early." She raised an eyebrow at them.

"What are you t talking about, it's never too early to see my girlfriend." Johnny smiled as he leaned in for a hug.

"And it's never to early to see my best friend's girlfriend," Ripp tried to sneak a kiss on her cheek before his lips rested on Johnny's outstretched hand blocking him.

"Won't be my best friend for long if you try that again," Johnny said in an attempt to sound angry before giving into laughter and wiping his palm on his shirt.

"Blech. Blech." Ripp started brushing off his tongue, " _Alien cooties_." He said, giving his best impression of disgust.

"Oh shut up." Johnny playfully shoved him aside, "Your hands are dirtier than mine."

"I think we can all agree on that." Ophelia chimed in, "Now let's get out of here before Olive tries to stop me.

They made their way out of the yard and onto the long stretch of road as they turned the corner to Road to Nowhere and chatted about this and that happening at school and work and in town.

As they came near Johnny's house, Ripp pointed out to them that the crazy guy from the night before was no longer shouting useless conspiracies everywhere. "Maybe he had some sense knocked into him." He said.

"Or maybe he's in another part of town." Johnny gestured around him, "Strangetown is a pretty big place."

"And he was a pretty loud dude." Ripp said.

Ophelia just looked on with confusion, "I'm sorry, what are you talking about?"

They told her about Goopy and his alien conspiracy theory and she had a good laugh with them too as she leaned over to plant a smooch on Johnny's lips, "Never heard of such a crazy thing in my life. Can you believe it, Johnny? Aliens? Silly idea," she ran her finger across his green skin.

Ripp pretended to cover his eyes, looking through the cracks in his fingers, "Aw, come on, get a room."

"You mean the room you stayed in last night?" Johnny wiggled his eyebrows, suppressing a smile.

"You mean where I slept on the floor and had to listen to your otherworldly snoring?" Ripp punched him in the arm.

"Well, I _am_ an alien. Otherworldly is kind of my thing."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ophelia stepped in between them, "Hold up you two." She turned to Ripp, "You stayed at Johnny's last night?"

"Jealous?" Ripp gave her his best smouldering look before turning to Johnny, "How many levels is this conversation wrong at?"

"What can I say, at least six, you beat me, I gotta hand it to you," Johnny crossed his arms, "And I know how you love my hands."

Ripp choked on his laughter, "Damn, seven now, you win."

"Will you children please grow up," Ophelia rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile and shake her head at them.

"If I'm a child, are you even legally allowed to be my girlfriend?" Johnny asked, wrapping his arms over her shoulders.

Ophelia ignored him, "Ripp," She started to ask, worry creeping into her voice, "Won't your father be mad you stayed at Johnny's last night?"

"The General?" Ripp shrugged, "He's mad no matter what I do."

"Won't he be extra mad if he finds you with us?"

Ripp's face got dark, his smile faded, "General Buzz can't even find the _ability_ to care for his own sons, no way he's going to actually going to try and find me."

"It's just, when you go home, I want you to be okay."

"You don't have to worry about me, if anything I should be worried about you. Cooped up in that creepy old place with that old hag?"

"That's my aunt you're talking about Ripp." She crossed her arms at him.

"She may be your aunt, but she's not your family." Ripp held the three of them together in a big embrace as they walked. "Just like the General's not mine."

"She didn't do anything bad, Ripp," Ophelia broke free of his hold, though she was also trying to convince herself. "I mean, she's not like the Beakers or anything."

"Hey, I never said she was, but she's not exactly the picture of likeability, now is she?"

Ophelia bit her lip, "Well, there is something I've been worried about."

Johnny immediately went to her side, "What is it?" His face showed lines of concern.

"It's the cemetery."

"What about the cemetery?" They stopped walking and Johnny and Ripp crowded around her.

"It keeps growing."

"Sorry to break this to you, Phee, but that's kind of how cemeteries work." Ripp said.

Johnny elbowed him in the rib.

"No, it's just," Ophelia hesitated and looked around as if making sure no one was listening, "I think she's the reason."

"How do you mean?"

"Nevermind," She tried to shrug it off, "It's probably nothing. I'm just going to sound like that lunatic."

"No," Johnny said and Ripp nodded with him, "Go on, I trust you way more than that crackpot from last night."

"Gee, thanks." Ophelia paused, "I don't know where to start and I don't want you spreading this around after I tell you."

"Our lips are sealed." Ripp mimicked the motion of zipping up his lips and throwing away the key.


	3. Halloween

**Author's note:** Do I realize it's almost December and not Halloween? Yes. Did I start this on Halloween, I did. Do I have poor time management skills? I do. Enjoy.

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Chapter 3-Halloween

The afternoon sun burned bright over the deserts of Strangetown as Johnny, Ripp and Ophelia sat on the steps of the Smith's house, but in less than an hour, it would slowly begin its descent behind the valley hills. A smiling pumpkin carved by Johnny's little sister, Jill, grinned lopsidedly at them from the gate. A giant black cat decoration stood before them, ready to greet any kids coming early for the heaping bags of candy and odd goodies the Smiths were most famous for.

"Come on, you guys." Ripp scrunched his legs up close to him, pouting, "Let's go trick or treating one last time." He said.

"Aren't we a little old for that, Ripp?" Ophelia flicked a piece of chipped paint at him.

"Hey, you're never too old to con strangers out of free candy."

"Yeah, I'm surprised you weren't picked up in a white van as a kid." Johnny looked at him, disbelievingly.

"I gotta take Buck out anyway and you gotta take Jill." Ripp turned to Ophelia, "Hell, Johnny doesn't even need to wear a costume."

"Haha, very funny." Johnny said, deadpan.

"What, are you gonna paint your face green?"

Johnny punched him in the side.

"Where are we even going to go?" Ophelia asked, "I mean, no one in their right mind is going to go to my house. Olive'll probably hand out poisonous herbs from her 'garden' and watch the carnage. You go up to the Beakers, well chances are you won't come back. And what's your dad going to be giving out?"

"The general? Probably apples and free scholarships to military school or some dumb sh*t."

"Exactly."

"Point taken." Ripp pondered this for a moment, "What about the Curious house?"

"Pascal? He'll probably be handing out some weird health food nowadays."

"Hey, not a problem," Johnny said, "Just go around back, that's where Lazlo waits with the good stuff. He'll hook you up."

"Is Lazlo a drug dealer?"

"I mean candy, you idiot."

"Hey, I'm not the idiot, you're the one who referred to it as 'the good stuff'."

"Can we just agree you're both morons and move on?" Ophelia got up, brushing off her jeans and stood in front of them.

"I hear there's a party on Road to Nowhere tonight." Ripp stood up too.

"A party could work." Johnny said.

"Hey, you guys still have Buck and Jill to take care of."

"What, they love parties!"

"Ripp," Ophelia placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine, we'll take them to the city for a few hours, get them enough candy so they can share with us-"

"Ripp," Ophelia gave him a scolding look again.

"Hey, those little monsters don't have to hog all the candy. Besides, they'll get cavities, so really, I'm just looking out for there health, right Johnny?"

"Right," Johnny nodded beside him, "We don't want Jill or Buck to get sick either."

"Exactly! And the party doesn't start until nine anyway, we can still make it back in time."

Ophelia tightened her lips and stared both of them down, narrowing her eyes at their over-acted grins. Finally she let out a sigh and conceded, "Fine, but I'm coming with you," she put her hands on her hips, "I don't want you two goofballs losing the kids in the city."

"Come on, Phee," Ripp pouted.

"Yeah, have a little faith in your boyfriend," Johnny said, "Have a little less faith in Ripp," he tilted his head from side to side, "but have faith in me."

"Hey!" Ripp said, but then nodded in agreement, "Actually, yeah, he's right."

"Jill and Buck are inside," Johnny jerked his thumb toward the house, "We'll get ready to go right now."

"I'll be waiting," Ophelia said as they rushed in to get the kids.

The trick-or-treating went off without a hitch. They travelled downtown, the sky seemingly becoming instantly dark around them as they went from house to house, Jill and Buck using their undeniable cuteness to get extra pieces of candy from families and sweet old ladies, and Ripp using his charm to get extra candy from the younger ladies... not to mention, extra eye candy for him too.

Ophelia and Johnny helped Jill and Buck carry their bags of loot back to the Smith's home after they cleaned out all the families living outside of Strangetown. Johnny even received a small horde for himself from people thinking he was in costume when he came to the door with Jill.

They dropped Buck off at the Smith's too, Ripp not wanting to risk coming back to incur the general's wrath. He hadn't exactly been home for the past few days, electing to stay at Johnny's... without telling his father.

He wouldn't be too happy about Buck returning alone and hearing about him trick-or-treating with 'the alien', but being the youngest, Buck had it easier. Ripp and his military brat brother Tank were usually the focus of the General's attention... and in turn, anger.

Of course, the party on Road to Nowhere was a costume party and he would have to go back home to find something to change into, but he would worry about how he would do that later. Right now, while Johnny was busy in his own house getting ready, Ophelia was inviting him to accompany her to the Spectre house to get her costume.

"I have to pop back home to get ready," she pointed behind her in the direction of Olive's foreboding, well, abode, "You..." she paused, 'Want to come?"

Ripp could tell it was less of an invite and more of a plead. There was unmistakable fear in her eyes and Ripp knew why. She had told him and Johnny weeks ago, about her suspicions. Suspicions a lot of residents of Strangetown shared. Olive was dangerous, the subject of many nasty rumours... which according to Ophelia were almost definitely more than just rumours.

He followed her, walking the streets in silence.

Ophelia twiddled her fingers nervously as they came closer to the Spectre residence. There were pale glowing lights floating around in the backyard and Ripp shuddered to think what that might mean.

The rumour was that Olive was a black widow, a serial killer. She ran the cemetery in town which could easily give someone that impression. But there were other signs too, according to Ophelia. Phone calls, sounds in the middle of the night. Voices heard in the garden.

The garden, that's what they called it, but it was no garden. It was a graveyard, and Ophelia didn't recognize any of the plants she grew there. Among the unmarked tombstones.

There was also the room. Ophelia had showed it to Ripp and Johnny one day, small, completely empty, yet it reeked of must and once, when Ophelia was cleaning, she had seen something red crusted to the floor, but Olive had shoved her out of the way and shooed her into the kitchen before she had the chance to investigate.

Finally they reached the edge of the lot and Ophelia halted in front of Ripp, unsure whether or not to continue. "She might still be up," Ophelia whispered, "ready to hand out poison to trick-or-treaters," she glanced around the yard, "We should sneak around back." She grabbed his arm and pulled them around to the side of the house... the graveyard side, but they rushed through quickly enough that nothing had the chance to spook them and alert Olive to their presence.

Ophelia slid the door open quietly, "Wait here," she said, but Ripp didn't particularly enjoy the idea of staying alone in a cemetery on Halloween night.

"I think I'll take my chances with Olive," he slipped in the door behind her, "Just make it quick," he said, eyeing the graves warily.

"I will," she whispered and padded off to her room.

Ripp tapped his fingers against his pant leg quietly, he didn't see or hear any sign of Olive, but he heard something else... no, he shook his head, just the wind. Then he thought, wind? In Strangetown? That didn't make sense, but he decided not to dwell too much on it.

Ophelia soon reappeared and his face lit up with relief, "So, what do you think?" She said twirling around to show him her costume.

It was a short, stark white dress, wrapped around her body, caressing her figure, with silvery white wings sprouting out behind. A fuzzy white halo hovered over her golden dread braids on the springs of a headband.

Ripp smiled, "I thought you were changing into a costume? Where is it?"

She laughed, then stopped herself, still worrying she might alert Olive, "This is my costume, silly."

"But you're already an angel."

"I don't think my boyfriend would like you saying that very much," she grinned.

"Your boyfriend would think the same," Ripp said, opening the door for her, "After you my lady," he shut it silently behind him, "Now let's see if I can sneak back home to get my costume."

Ophelia put her hand to her chest in mock shock, "You mean you're not already dressed in full clown makeup?"

"Haha, very funny, Phee," he stepped another foot into the graveyard, "You know, my quip was a compliment."

"Hey, so is mine. I love clowns," she gave him another smile, "Why do you think I'm dating Johnny."

"You know I'm going to tell him that."

"Go ahead," she said.

"I'm going to get you for that."

"Sure you will," she made her way toward the gates, "Now come on, let's get out of here."

Ripp was about to follow her out of the cemetery when suddenly something caught his eye, just a flicker of blue light that held him back.

"Well, are you coming?" Ophelia looked back at him and called, but he was frozen in place, his legs unable to move.

It was just an illusion, Ripp thought, nothing was there, nothing was there, nothing was there. But... something was. The eerie glowing shapes he had seen earlier from a distance...

"Ripp?" Ophelia was beginning to realize something was wrong. She stepped toward him and reached for his arm, but he pulled away.

Ophelia watched as he turned around toward one of the graves and whispered in a hoarse voice, "Mom?"


	4. Buzz Off

**Author's note:** Plot outlines? What plot outlines? Time management? What time Management? After only an eternity, I present to you chapter 4. Warnings: Language.

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 **Chapter 4- Buzz Off:**

"Ripp," Ophelia gently shook him by the shoulder as he stared on at the cemetery in frozen wonder, "Come on, we have to go before Olive sees us."

Ripp struggled from her grasp, "Don't you see, Phee?" he pointed at the empty space in front of him, "Don't you see her too?" His heart was pounding at the sight of the blonde woman before him, his eyes wide. He never thought he would see her again. Of course, he always wanted to, but not like this.

"There's nothing there, Ripp," Ophelia shook her head, "there's no one there."

"Don't tell me you can't see her," Ripp pleaded. He knew she was there, he knew it. She was... she had to be.

"Ripp," Ophelia placed her hand on his shoulder, "your mom's not here."

"She is though. I saw her, Phee. I saw her. Just- just now. Just f*cking now."

"Your mom's not even dead," she placed his hand on his shoulder.

"We don't know that for sure."

"No, we don't," Ophelia agreed, "but what I do know is that she's not in this garden, okay?" Ophelia was desperately trying to convince herself that at the same time. "You know I don't trust Olive, but your mother left your father of her own free will. I'm," she hesitated, "I'm sure she's fine."

Ripp blubbered on for a few seconds before he nodded reluctantly, allowing Ophelia to take him by the arm and out of the graveyard, but he knew he had seen something there, even if it wasn't his mother. The figure had disappeared after a few moments, but Ophelia was right before, there was something wrong with Olive's garden. Something wrong with Olive.

The three of them never did get the chance to go to the Halloween party that night. Ophelia hung out at Johnny's for the evening instead. Besides, Ripp was too shaken up about his trip to Olive's house and when he got home, he had more problems to deal with, the biggest one going by the name of Tank. He thought just maybe he would be able to sneak in by the side door, but he thought wrong. Apparently Tank had been waiting for him.

"Where have you been, Ripp?" His arms were crossed, but he composed himself in stiff military manner like always as he questioned his brother.

"I took Buck trick or treating, you know that. I mean, he would never go with you."

"But he'd go with that half-breed scum, Johnny Smith?" Tank sneered.

"Yeah," Ripp said, "he would. And you know why? Because Johnny's not an asshole like you."

"But he's a troublemaker like you."

"Hey, I thought you two would get along. After all, green is your favourite colour," Ripp circled his finger around the mess of army camouflage paint spattered on Tank's face.

Tank wiped off the paint indignantly, "Dad's waiting for you in the kitchen. He's going to ground you for weeks, or better yet, send you to military school like he should have done in the first place."

"The General," Ripp rolled the word off his tongue in disgust, "can do whatever the Hell he wants because I'm not sticking around to hear it," he put his hands in the air and spun to leave out the door but Tank yanked him back inside.

"You've been gone for over a week, Ripp," Tank tightened his grip on his arm, "you're not going back to the Smith's."

"Why? Did you miss me being away so long?" Ripp pouted out his lips, mocking him with a fake whimpering voice.

Tank ignored him, dragging him into the kitchen to face the General's wrath.

"At ease, soldier," General Buzz stood up rigidly from his seat, his hands behind his back and a low rumble creeping into his voice, "Ripp, it's about time you finally join us again."

Ripp struggled to free himself of Tank's grasp, but Tank was much stronger than him and not ready to let go no matter what his father said. Maybe Ripp should have tried harder at that military workout after all.

"I bet you didn't even notice I was gone until your favourite son pointed it out to you like the loyal little soldier he is." Ripp spat in the General's... general direction.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" A growl seeped into the General's raspy voice.

"Time to get out of this conversation before you rip me a new one. Is that why you called me Ripp?" He broke free from Tank and turned on his heel.

"Sit down, soldier, I'm not through with you. Tank, at ease."

Reluctantly, Tank backed up into the living room.

"Well maybe I'm through with you," Ripp threw his arms in the air, "and I'm not your soldier. I think you have me confused with the kiss-ass excuse I have for a brother."

"Don't talk about him that way."

"Then maybe I just won't talk at all." Ripp shoved past the kitchen table and chairs.

"You're not walking out of this house," Buzz said, a dangerous warning creeping into his words.

"Mom did." Ripp spun, staring through him.

General Buzz went quiet. "You're not to speak of her in this house."

"And why not? She's my mother, I can say what I want."

"You're under my roof."

"Well, don't worry, I won't be for long."

"Go to your room."

"Well if it's your house, I guess it's _your_ room, which means I technically don't have a room, now do I?"

"Don't taunt me, boy."

"Or what?" Ripp shouted, "You'll kill me? Is that what you did to mom?" He stopped, too late realizing what he said.

"What are you yammering on about, boy?"

"I saw her ghost, General."

"Have you been doing drugs with that no good Smith boy-"

"I saw her ghost, dad," Ripp said, completely serious. It was one of the only times he ever referred to the General as his father.

At that, General Buzz was at a loss for words. He blinked, face otherwise unchanging as if he was debating with himself whether the outburst even warranted a response or not. "Where?" He choked out finally.

"In Olive's garden," Ripp said, "She's dead, isn't she?"

"Go to your room."

"But-"

"I said go to your room, soldier." His voice was no longer human, a guttural snarl that even Ripp didn't want to challenge, and that was saying something. "I have a house call to make," he muttered under his breath, marching out of the kitchen.

Grumbling silently to himself, Ripp reluctantly did as he was told, stopping only to say goodnight to Buck, and to place a tack under the covers of Tank's bed.

The door to the Grunt's house slammed shut in the distance, echoing through the arid Strangetown desert.

Ripp closed his eyes, only to be haunted once more by the unexplainable apparition.


	5. Nightmare

**Author's Note:** 1\. I'm not dead. 2. I'm not the biggest fan of this update, but hey some kind of update is better than no update, right? Especially when it's literally been ages. I am now 1018 years old, that elixir of life really works. 3. I kind of maybe sort of forgot my original plan for this... (as if me, the most disorganized person the world ever plans anything) but I'm working on it... 4. I may or may not have messed up the tenses near the end there. Warnings for whatever, drug mentions I guess. Enjoy, or don't. We all live in the matrix anyway.

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Chapter 5-Nightmare

Nervous Subject tossed restlessly in his bed, or at least the meagre excuse of a mattress the Beakers tried to pass off as a bed.

It hadn't been a particularly rough day for him, confined to the pit -that's what they called the room they kept him in, damp and musty, mould creeping in at the seams- and drugged up on whatever their latest experimental concoction was. One would think that being scientists and doctors and all, their work space would be more sterile, less middle ages, but 1 Tesla Court was anything but.

He shivered under the threadbare blanket, gazing up at the stone ceiling, and up at the stairs. The gate at the top was locked of course, they didn't want him sneaking out in the middle of the night, not that he would. He had nowhere else to go. And... it wasn't so bad, was it? He had food, water, a room to himself, even if it was open and under the scrutiny of Circe's watchful eyes.

At least Loki didn't have him test out the lie detector again. Nervous didn't think he would be able to survive another one of its ringing shocks. He shuddered at the thought, or maybe he was seizing. He seemed to seize a lot nowadays and the Beakers didn't care, not that they ever did to begin with... well, he thought, once upon a time, maybe. But that was just an act... long, long ago.

Admittedly, they were being more lax with him these past few weeks, and he didn't know whether to be grateful or suspicious. Last time they were this lenient, Loki was in the middle of building the Eclectic and Enigmatic Energizer, as he called it. Nervous only called it 'the machine'. He swore he could still feel the icy water beneath his feet, electricty running up his body, pulsing through it, making him scream a guttural scream.

It wasn't so bad.

After the first time the machine caused him to pass out, it had become one of Loki's favourites. Each new test, it had some extra gadget added onto it. One time, Nervous swore he caught a glimpse of a potato and a... slice of pizza? No, that couldn't be right. It had to be the drugs messing with him. Always, always messing with him. At least the Beakers weren't as cruel as to send him to bed... send him to mattress? without pain killers. Not that they did any good when he was fighting off the staves of sleep.

He wanted to close his eyes to remember. Remember what it was like before the Beakers. Was there a before the Beakers? But he feared if he closed them, he might never open them again, consumed by nightmares, or worse.

Nightmares. Maybe that's all this was. The pit. The beakers. Everything. One big nightmare. He pinched himself. Or was that another needle attached to his skin? His head jerked back onto the pillows - It was really a wonder the Beakers even left him a pillow - and he accepted the throes of darkness.

 _Everything was blurry. So, so blurry. Black and white? Nervous thought. No, he only dreamed in black and white when- when-_

 _Two people. An empty room. No, don't go in. He wanted to shake his head, wanted to yell. But his voice was still hoarse from all the yelling he did while he was awake. Was he ever truly awake? Something sweet, scent wafting into his nose. Flowers? None he had ever seen before, not that he got out much to see any. Doors slamming. No, just one door. Only one person now. A man. Or a woman with really big feet. He thought. Why could he never see their faces? Never. Never. Never. Breathing. He struggled for air. Sweet. Too sweet. Sickeningly so. Throat constricting. Tighter. Tighter. No... something's not right. Pinks. Yellows. Colour. Blinding. Not yet. He swore he heard someone whisper._

Nervous awoke to the sound of Circe's phone, not for the first time. It was always ringing recently. Ringing. Ringing. Ringing. The ting tinning carrying down to him in the smallest hours of the night. He was almost grateful for it. Though sometimes he wondered who might be _wanting_ to call Circe. A friend? If he was the type to laugh, that's what he'd do at the thought. Circe didn't have friends. An enemy? He was sure Circe had plenty of those. Maybe a bit of both?

He rested his head back onto the mattress, careful not to interfere with his mohawk -that was the only thing the Beakers let him keep for himself- and waited for Circe to answer. Two more rings, then she snatches it up with a gruff 'what do you want?' He catches snippets, but they make no sense, at least not to him, and is about to give in to sleep again when suddenly she is standing over his railing.

"Get up," she says.

He does as he is told.

"We need to teach someone a lesson."

She has a needle in her hand. Flicks the top with a gloved finger. She doesn't say who needs to be taught. Nervous is used to that by now, his legs trembling as he, well, _nervously_ , climbs the stairs.


End file.
